Last year, eighty-eight
students belonging to the Chakma community of Arunachal Pradesh had suffered
one academic lost due to denial of admission in secondary schools. These poor
and hapless students did not get admission despite interventions of the National
Human Rights Commission and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
The interventions by the National Human Rights Institutions had little impact due
to willful non-compliance of the orders. The state government did not submit reports
despite reminders issued by the Commissions. Finally, when the reports were submitted
it had no relevance as by then the school academic session was well over.
The recent direction
of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) makes the picture clearer. Taking
cognizance of a complaint filed by Asian Centre for Human Rights, the NHRC asked
the state government to submit report, within two weeks, regarding denial of admission
to the Chakma students to secondary school. No report was forthcoming despite
reminders. It takes a final reminder on 28 February 2012 to get the state
government moving. Yet, it took almost two months to submit reports. In a
letter dated 18 April 2012, the Commissioner & Secretary (Education),
Government of Arunachal Pradesh, Itanagar has forwarded reports obtained from
various authorities of the State Education Department.
But the
reports submitted are not legible. In its latest proceedings the NHRC noted “The
Commission perused the reports which are very dim and not legible.” This left
the Commission with the only option to ask for clear and legible reports. Accordingly,
the Commissioner & Secretary (Education), was directed to send clear and
legible copies of the reports within six weeks. The time given has no value now
as the students lost a year.
The story was written
in advance by the state government and the NHRC was made to do what it wanted. Yet,
another delay. The delay is not hard to understand. It was deliberate and has
two reasons.
First, the
state government has no answers for the academic loss of the students. So,
illegible reports were purposely submitted to further the delay.
Second, the Chakmas
are not recognized as citizens and not treated equally. They are kept out of government
scheme. The state does not want to see the development of the Chakma community.
Education is a key to development of any society. Now, the denial of education
opportunity has become a tool to keep the Chakmas in dark.
Nothing will
compensate the loss suffered by the students. Their future has been destroyed. This
is not one off case. Many Chakma children are silently dropping out due to lack
of access to schools over the years. They have only one option left to get
married early and become parents of multiple of children. Yet, the state
complained that the population of the state is increasing due to influx from states
like Mizoram and Tripura.
The question is whether the Chakmas of Mizoram,
where they have their own autonomous district council, and Tripura, where the
Chakmas have all opportunities including education and employment, will come to
Arunachal Pradesh to live in destitution.
